Almost there

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought "I'm a babe"? That didn't happen to me today. But I did think "Hey, I could almost be a babe today if I tried just a little bit harder this morning" when I stared at myself in the mirror. And then I left it at that. Maybe I felt like being an "almost babe" today. But I did decide to paint my nails while watching the new Melrose Place which is putting forth some effort on my part. And I think the extra effort on my part to paint those nails is what set in motion a lady name Linda to call and phone screen me for a job. She must have sensed I was ready to work.

And after she called it went a little like this:

Linda:"did you get a chance to check out our website and see what we do?".

Me:"I did actually. I'll be honest Linda, I'm not sure exactly what you do but it looks like you ...blah blah.".

Linda:"Not exactly......actually we....".

Me:"Ok, right.".

And right then and there I thought I had lost it. But she wants to meet me anyways on Monday. And between the 2 of us she told me my phone number on my resume was wrong so I checked it and it is actually correct. So I guess the two of us are meant to be. I don't exactly know what they do and she is a little number dyslexic. This I can handle.

Don't you hate it when you have a great pair of dark denim jeans and the color bleeds? I'm scared to wear them with anything remotely light colored. And my hands are slightly blue from rubbing my hands on my thighs. They look really...cold.

Alright everybody, let's have golden beets and lentils for dinner, c'mon!

Floor

I used the oven 3 separate times today. Lunch: pizza. Dinner: minted oven roasted farmer's market carrots with curried apple couscous.

Dessert: chocolate chip zucchini cupcakes. And after about the second time I opened the oven door it finally kicked in that when I open the oven door I need to stand away for a second to avoid the wall of heat that comes charging out. Brutal. And I kept thinking "did I just kill a dolphin out there somewhere because I keep turning the oven off and on?". But the food was just so good that I didn't care. I do my part for the dolphins by buying dolphin safe tuna. I think that about covers it.

I was so excited to move into our place here that has bamboo flooring throughout. Finally! Chic and classy looking floors! No more industrial carpet! But then I lived in our house with wood floors for a couple of days. Not so glamorous anymore. They show everything. Dirt, dust, hair, it is all there on public display in little nests in the corners. I can't keep it clean. I CAN'T KEEP IT CLEAN!! Frustrating. And to be honest I miss the sound the vacuum makes when it sucks up dirt. It was so satisfying. And to top it off we have this after dinner ritual occasionally that has been ruined by our wood floors. When we stuff ourselves with something delicious we collapse on the floor to let our bellies rest and recover and the wood just isn't comfortable. That and I refuse to lay on it because of the aforementioned goods that congregate there. Exasperation! But I guess at least we can't get any carpet burns which is favorable.

Anyone have a miracle wood floor trapper of all things gross?

The best things in life are free

I finally felt the burden of it tonight. The BIG it - money. I've never had much of it. But I've almost always had enough to do what I please without incurring debt. But those days are over. Now I truly window shop but mostly through the internet because that way I can't touch it and try it on and see how nice it feels on my skin. And oddly enough I'm ok with that. Our closet is so full already that I wouldn't want to impose the misery of being stuffed in somewhere to a new piece. I've mostly had a problem with food. I like to buy good food, it seems to be my vice lately. So I've committed to going to the store less and eating what we have which is still pretty good. Fine, I can do that.

But the true stab in the heart was tonight while I was talking to my madre on the phone. She asked about the couch we had been planning on getting. Yeah, we can't really swing that right now I told her. I felt like it had taken a tiger claw to my nose and my eyes began to swell. I don't know why I had such a strong reaction to the couch. We could go out and buy one with a little help from our money market but we aren't stupid. It isn't worth it right now. You know, living with a love seat and two chairs isn't soo bad. You just have to decide if watching a movie with your mate by your side is worth it. And if you curl up in a ball and leave either your feet or head hanging over the edge it is pretty comfy.

It's not the couch or the money really that bothers me - ok, yes it is. We live on a fixed income, like old people. Which I can't complain about because the Air-force pays for our living and we don't do anything, yet. But have you ever woken up in the morning and the pair of jeans you wore the day before is suddenly tighter and you don't know how it happened? Its only been 8 hours! Did I eat that much last night? Only you know you've really been eating that much for a while and it finally caught up to you. It's like that.

It's finally caught up to me. Blurg.

A love letter

Dear Ricky,

It seems like my brain is swelling to capacity lately. I have so much to do and so little time and all without the help of a job. Are you in school right now? Are you looking at pictures of things oozing out of people right now? Are you typing on your computer thinking of me too?

I'm sitting at the kitchen table right now and staring out the window at the courtyard. The sun is shinning and casting a lovely golden glow on the trees and the sidewalk down below. It almost makes me forget about the building out back. I think we are getting some new neighbors. Either that or there is a man that keeps walking back and forth in front of our window with boxes and drawers for fun. Maybe he's just serious about exercise and likes to take the stairs a lot. Whatever the case I'm just glad the building is beginning to fill.

I think I'll make vegetarian chile tonight. Remember the last time we ate it? It was SO hot in Arizona but we cranked up the AC and enjoyed it anyways. It was so good we just kept smacking our lips and murmuring sounds of delight. We might not sweat as much this time around but I expect to hear contented sounds none the less.

The clock just turned 4:22pm. Only 38 more minutes until you get in your car and drive the 20 minutes home on Rainier Ave dodging the bus that blocks the right lane. Be careful when you come home, wear your seat-belt!

Can't wait to see you love, I made you peanut butter cookies with whole-wheat pastry flour for your heart.

Love mua

2 for 2

Sometimes it's great when you go 2 for 2 in your season opener. The euphoria can bring fans and players alike together in a frenzy of good cheer. But our season opener didn't go that well. We went 2 for 2 for alright. 2 for 2 in the unlucky car hall of fame.

Exhibit A: Let's put aside the fact that Ricky's car groans and vibrates likes it's relaxing on a massage chair whenever you start it up and head straight to the first win. Yesterday while driving away from the airport after dropping off our darling daughter Stasy Ricky side-swiped a Subaru while changing lanes. 1-0.

Exhibit B: Now let's put aside the fact that my car is peeling apart like sunburned flesh and makes terrible metal on metal grinding noises whenever I accelerate and concentrate on our second victory. Today while spontaneously attending my favorite grocery store, Trader Joes, I locked the keys in my car with the radio running. Awesome. So I bought some groceries while I called Ricky over and over until he got out of class and answered. 40 minutes later and a picnic lunch in a parking garage consisting of pita chips, hummus and chocolate milk

I was let into my car by a nice kid in a UW hat. That makes a 2 for 2 sweep of the September car season! We are definitely in the lead and it looks like we might make it undefeated.

Also my cashier at TJ's told me I looked "very professional". To which I said thanks of course, then told him in no uncertain terms that I was NOT in professional clothing. I was wearing a t-shirt, sweater and jeans. Where is he from?

And to top it all off the joke that I tell everyone about why i bought a reusable shopping bag came true. I kept telling everyone that I had to buy one because I didn't want anyone to punch me for using regular bags like regular people. And on my way back to my radio emitting car I was in the elevator with an old man and his reusable TJ's grocery back and he looked at my regular paper bags and made an audible sigh and said "no reusable bags, huh?". "No. I didn't know I was coming here" stupid old man who drove off in his bio-diesel VW.

And now Rich is going over our expenditures...